Too Late for Regret My Biased Family Begged for Mercy While I Embraced My Billionaire Husband Chapter 02

Too Late for Regret My Biased Family Begged for Mercy While I Embraced My Billionaire Husband Chapter 02

The house was empty when I got inside.

I lay on my cold bed and stared blankly at the wall panel in the stairwell nook.

My phone rang. It was Mom. I answered.

“Made it home?”

“We’ll be there in an hour. Go out to the balcony and take down the comforters I hung out for Lila and Jax, then make their beds.”

“We’ve been on our feet all day. Let your sister and brother rest as soon as they get home…”

I couldn’t hold back anymore. I cut her off sharply.

“What about me?”

Was I not tired?

Why did you only hang out warm bedding for Lila and Jax, while I lay here under cold, mismatched scraps?

I didn’t say the rest. There was no point.

Mom went silent for a second on the other end.

She never expected me—always obedient—to talk back.

But her tone quickly went back to demanding.

“You’ve always been healthy and tough.”

“Lila and Jax are more delicate. Can’t you just cut them some slack?”

“Why are you so disobedient now that you’re older?”

I laughed.

Someone who’d lived in a dark stairwell nook their whole life, eating leftovers most days…

How healthy could I really be?

They just didn’t care.

When I was a kid, I’d been so sick with a fever I could barely move.

Dad was busy taking Lila to dance class. Mom was dropping Jax off at preschool.

Ten-year-old me was left home alone.

If a neighbor hadn’t found me, I would’ve died of a high fever.

All I got in the end was a careless line.

“She’s tough. She can handle it.”

Mom’s complaining voice came through the phone again.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Look at how you’re acting! Can’t I even say a word to you? Weren’t you always the good one?”

“Be good, go make their beds.”

She hung up.

In the background, I heard Dad, Lila, and Jax laughing loudly.

They were talking about something happy.

The sound cut right through me.

On the balcony, Lila and Jax’s comforters were neatly hung.

I touched them. They were warm.

But that warmth only made my heart feel colder.

Their bedding was clearly nice, carefully chosen.

Soft fabric, nice colors—full of love.

I looked back at my stairwell nook.

My small bed was piled with their old, unwanted clothes.

The bedding was the wrong size, mismatched and ugly.

It was cruel.

After I made their beds, I sat on the couch and stared blankly at my phone.

Lila had just posted a new picture. Four of them smiling brightly.

Caption: The simplest happiness is being with family.

Below, Mom, Dad, and Jax all liked and commented: Our family will be happy forever.

One relative noticed something was off.

The relative commented: Where’s Elara? I don’t see her.

Mom replied quickly: She’s just a little awkward and stubborn. With a sighing emoji.

I knew what she meant.

My constant tenseness growing up.

The way I tiptoed around, desperate to be loved.

But Mom, that was me trying to fit in.